Fla. Spent Nearly $173,000 Extra On Security

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- A month-long protest at the Florida Capitol following the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial is resulting in overtime expenses of nearly $173,000.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Wednesday released a final breakdown of security expenses. The protest began three days after Zimmerman was acquitted in July of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in the 2012 death of teenager Trayvon Martin.

FDLE figures show that the 31-day protest also resulted in more than $20,000 in compensatory time to the officers who stayed in the Capitol with protesters.

Note: Some Capitol Police members elected to earn Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) comp time. If members cannot flex the time out, they will be paid. A portion of the overall total and overtime total could decrease depending on the ability to flex out FLSA time by December 31, 2013.

Protesters continued to demonstrate overnight with approximately 15 participants.

Daily Estimated Costs and Incident Reports for Capitol Protests

Estimated Costs*Overall Total-$374,504.77Overall OT Total -$144,460.60Total for August 9-$12,850.90*Includes regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsAugust 9 –The protesters continued to demonstrate overnight with approximately 28 participants.

Daily Estimated Costs and Incident Reports for Capitol Protests

Estimated Costs*Overall Total-$361,653.87Overall OT Total -$143,016.54Total for August 8-$12,674.77*Includes regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsAugust 8 – After hours, two protestors were discovered in an off-limits area of the Capitol. Protesters were new to the group and had not been properly oriented by their leadership. Protest leaders were advised if this happens again, those outside the designated Plaza Level area will be removed from the Capitol.

The protesters continued to demonstrate overnight with approximately 38 participants.

Daily Estimated Costs and Incident Reports for Capitol Protests

Estimated Costs*Overall Total-$348,979.10Overall OT Total -$141,072.77Total for August 7-$16,317.16*Includes regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsAugust 7 –The protesters continued to demonstrate overnight with approximately 12 participants.

Daily Estimated Costs and Incident Reports for Capitol Protests

Estimated Costs*Overall Total-$332,661.94Overall OT Total -$134,446.63Total for August 6-$16,513.98

*Includes regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsAugust 6 –The protesters continued to demonstrate overnight with approximately 16 participants.

Daily Estimated Costs and Incident Reports for Capitol Protests

Estimated Costs*Overall Total-$316,147.96Overall OT Total -$127,623.67Total for August 5-$15,721.34*Includes regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsAugust 5–One protester measured the East Plaza doors, but refused to answer when an officer asked him why he was measuring.

The protesters continued to demonstrate overnight with approximately 20 participants.

Daily Estimated Costs and Incident Reports for Capitol Protests

Estimated Costs*Overall Total- $300,426.62Overall OT Total - $121,593.35Total for August 4- $7,083.30*Includes regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsAugust 4 –The protesters continued to demonstrate overnight with approximately 14 participants.

Estimated Costs*Overall Total - $293,343.32Overall OT Total - $118,501.85Total for August 3 - $10,027.17*Includes regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsAugust 3 –Food was brought in for protesters by staff from Representative William’s office.

The protesters continued to demonstrate overnight with approximately 35 participants.

Estimated Costs*Overall Total- $283,316.15Overall OT Total -$112,466.48Total for August 2-$18,989.78*Includes regular time and overtime.

Sunday, July 28Estimated Costs*Overall Total - $196,491.67Overall OT Total - $77,697.24Total for July 28 - $14,129.62*Includes regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsJuly 28 – The protester group from New York left around 9:30 a.m. At 11 a.m., approximately 20 protesters remained.

The protesters continued to demonstrate overnight with 12 participants.

Saturday, July 27Estimated Costs*Overall Total - $182,362.05Overall OT Total - $68,777.94Total for July 27 - $16,016.62*Includes regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsJuly 27 – Regular days off for Capitol Police Officers and TROC Agents were canceled due to the increased number of protesters at the Capitol.

Former Senator Nan Rich was allowed into the Capitol by a Senate staff member with key card access. She addressed the protesters.

A non-employee attempted to enter the building with doughnuts for the protesters. The individual was not allowed access per previously established policy. The protesters/supporters inaccurately reported the absence of food and unavailability of water in the Capitol.

One of the coordinators, Gabriel Pendas, was heard by a Capitol Police Officer giving out the Capitol Police Director’s cell phone number and direct FDLE phone number and PIO phone number and encouraged the group to call FDLE to complain. The majority of the callers would hang up after the phone was answered, but an officer had to be assigned to dispatch to help answer the phones.

Just before 3 p.m., the FDLE watch desk was overwhelmed with calls from protesters shutting down the ability of law enforcement agencies across Florida to make requests for AMBER Alerts, and officer involved shootings and crime scene assistance. Temporary phone lines were established and a message was sent asking law enforcement agencies to contact FDLE on the temporary lines. Additional watch desk staff members reported to work to assist with the call volume increase.

The protesters continued to demonstrate overnight with approximately 56 participants. One officer was assigned to Capitol Police dispatch to assist with the increase in phone calls until the calls slowed down at about 8 p.m.

Friday, July 26Estimated Costs*Overall Total - $166,345.43Overall OT Total - $57,971.64Total for July 26 - $17,402.46*Includes regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsJuly 26 – One protestor had a medical issue and was transported by EMS to a local hospital.

The Dream Defenders continued to demonstrate overnight with 105 participants.

Capitol Police met with the State Fire Marshall to determine capacity.

Thursday, July 25Estimated Costs*Overall Total - $148,942.97Overall OT Total - $50,655.88Total for July 25 - $17,303.80*Includes regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsJuly 25 – Capitol Police denied a request from former Senator Nan Rich to be admitted into the Capitol on Saturday. Note: The Capitol is closed at 5 p.m. Friday and the public is not allowed to enter the Capitol until it opens for business on Monday at 8 a.m.

The Dream Defenders continued to demonstrate overnight with 86 participants. A bus arrived from Philadelphia with protesters just before 4 p.m.

Wednesday, July 24Estimated Costs*Overall Total - $131,639.17Overall OT Total - $47,070.40Total for July 24 - $17,099.50*Includes regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsJuly 24 – The Dream Defenders held a rally outside around 4 p.m. The Dream Defenders will now hold their closing ceremonies around the seal on Plaza Level instead of in the hallway leading to the Governor’s office to avoid possible accidental damage of any of the paintings lining the hallway. The Dream Defenders continued to demonstrate overnight with 16 participants.

Tuesday, July 23Estimated Costs*Overall Total - $116,493.31Overall OT Total - $45,993.26Total for July 23 - $18,522.32*Overall estimate includes Capitol Police regular time and overtime.

Incident ReportsJuly 23 - DMS cleaning crew member reported walking in on a nude female washing her body in the plaza level female bathroom just after 7 a.m. The Dream Defenders continued to demonstrate overnight with 43 participants.

Monday, July 22 – The Dream Defender group is continuing its protest. Senate staff reported protesters were blocking halls, doors and elevators on the third floor. Approximately 34 participants demonstrated overnight. A demonstrator inflating an air mattress was asked to deflate it.

Sunday, July 21 – The Dream Defender group is continuing its protest. Dream Defenders held a church service on plaza level. Representative Williams delivered food. Approximately 12 participants demonstrated overnight.

Saturday, July 20 – The Dream Defender group is continuing its protest. An individual found sleeping on an air mattress was asked to have someone come pick it up since we are not allowing air mattresses. Note: air mattresses are prohibited because in an emergency, they block access to hallways and exits. Representative Williams is providing food to the group on plaza level through Sunday.

Friday, July 19 – The Dream Defender group is continuing its protest. Representative Williams’ aide brought several protesters in through the north lobby before 5pm. Note: The north lobby door is unsecured and those who enter through this door do not go through the magnetometers.

An officer caught someone trying to enter with a falsified access card. That individual was reported to her current Capitol building employer.

Thursday, July 18 – The Dream Defender group is continuing its protest. Officers escorted a protestor found on the lower level out of the building. Note: the lower level of the Capitol is restricted to the public after normal business hours.

Officers found 2 males with no shirts on and a female in a bra and shorts sleeping in the Chapel. Everyone was instructed to get completely dressed and was informed the Chapel was for worship not sleeping.

Wednesday, July 17 – The Dream Defender group is continuing its protest.

Tuesday, July 16 – The Dream Defender group conducted a protest in the Governor’s reception area of the Capitol building.

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